"Celestial Crown" is a soaring doom riff pounded out just for the Hell of it. At first listen, it won't seem like much, but when placed in the context of the entire album it is the only way Age of Winters could have started. The massive "Barael's Blade" teeter-totters between thundering riffs and crashing cymbals; when you hear a roar proclaiming you should "BEHOLD THE BASTARD'S BLADE," you'll have joyous images of Connan stacking slain foes and burning them on a funeral pyre. The excellent "Freya" howls with an indignant wrath; blazing guitars light up like forest fires and chugging riffs churn within the bowels of the Earth.

"Winter's Wolves" carries on the charge with a raiding party of a metal song; barbaric palm-mutes segue into tight riffs and grim lyrics telling of violent curses. The spacey "The Horned Goddess" sounds like an early period Black Sabbath jam...except for the fact this incarnation was spawned in Norway rather than Great Britain.

"Iron Swan" slays so many foes at once it has to be heard to be believed. Swaying in on a graceful clean passage that vaguely recalls folk music from a Nintendo game (Zelda perhaps?), the song next turns into a siege engine of crushing force. On an album completely saturated with fantastic guitar riffs, this song has the best of the best.

The exquisite "Lament for the Aurochs" is a mournful lament (go figure) that decries a loss of imagination in the world. As the album's longest song, it is the doomiest as well, and the concept is a very unique one I wish more bands would touch on. The music itself is top-notch true metal, so raise your arms and unleash a mighty cry!

The majestic "March of the Lor" is an instrumental piece divided into eight sections. Like any doom band worth their salt, The Sword sound even better when they can just relax and lay down pulsing grooves. In fact, "Lor" is probably one of my favorite instrumentals in recent memory. "Ebethron" is a goosebump-inducing final chapter; everything that makes metal great is included in this song.